religion
Religion In Brief Religious division in Iraq threatens bloody civil war BAGHDAD (AP) — A wave of car bomb blasts tore through Shiite areas south of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 36 and deepening fears that Iraq is rapidly spiraling back out of control. The unrest follows four months of widespread protests among Iraq’s Sunni minority, who feel they are discriminated against and are being marginalized by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Shiiteled government. The International Crisis Group recently warned that the standoff between Sunni protesters and the central government has begun a dangerous slide toward confrontation. Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. Like the police, they spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. No one immediately claimed responsibility for Monday’s blasts, but coordinated bombings in civilian areas are a favorite tactic for al-Qaida in Iraq. Ongoing disputes between Baghdad and the Kurds over sensitive issues such as ethnically disputed territories and how to manage the country’s vast oil wealth further undermine Iraq’s stability as al-Maliki tries to manage relations with the country’s Sunni Arabs.
Dalai Lama to visit New Orleans this month The spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama will be in New Orleans on Thursday, May 16 through Sunday, May 19, to address the community and to deliver the keynote address at Tulane University’s graduation commencement. The graduation ceremony will take place in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Friday, May 18. His visit will also include speaking at “Resilience: Strength Through Compassion and Connection”, a conference sponsored by the Tulane School of Social Work. The Dalai Lama will be holding public talks at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Thursday through Saturday. The conference fee for students is $150 and $450 for non-students
Alumni wins grant to teach English in Thailand Loyola 2012 alumnus Brain Ea has won a Fullbright U.S. Student English Teaching Assistant grant to Thailand. Only 20 U.S. graduates received the award to Thailand this year. While the exact location is yet to be determined, Ea will be teaching English in a classroom setting. The Fullbright awardees build close personal relationships with international communities and participate in global impact programs. The organization has international exchange and service oportunities available to graduates with a bachelors, masters and doctorate.
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FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2013
COURTESY OF LUCAP
Loyola students helped New Orleans home owners save money and the environment by giving out free, energy-efficient light bulbs during Spark week fall 2012. LUCAP organizes Spark week for new and returning students looking to get active in the community.
LUCAP prepares Spark leaders By MARY GRACI Staff Writer LUCAP is training leaders for the upcoming annual Spark event, an orientation week of service for incoming residential first-year students held in the fall. Every fall during the week before classes begin, LUCAP hosts a program called Spark. This week consists of an orientation for incoming residential first-year students. On August 17, 2013, Spark week participants, referred to as Sparkers, will move into their themed living community in Buddig Hall. They will have the opportunity to start on their week of service before the rest of campus comes alive.
Each day involves several service activities, such as volunteering at the New Orleans Second Harvest Food Bank, St. Paul’s Homecoming Center and Hike for KaTREEna. Spark week will also focus on group reflection and team building. During this week of service, students will get the chance to reach out to the community, learn valuable leadership skills and get to know fellow Sparkers all before they begin their first day of college. Lauren Carroll, music industry freshman, said she appreciated being a part of the Spark program during her freshman year. “I joined Spark mainly because I thought it would be a great way to meet new people and become oriented with Loyola at the start of
my freshman year,” Carroll said. “I absolutely loved the experience of participating in service and living in a service-oriented community throughout the year.” Mission and ministry fellow and LUCAP adviser Joe Deegan said that Spark is an important opportunity for freshmen and returning students to give back to the community. “It’s important because it creates a community of shared interest around volunteer service,” Deegan said. Spark leaders attended a leadership event on April 20, to prepare for this upcoming fall. The leadership training prepares Spark leaders for what to expect from the orientation week. “It was to give the leaders an
overview and a history of the program and let them know what the basic information was before they leave for the summer,” Deegan said. Deegan said that the leadership training is essential to Spark orientation week and the training will continue through the fall. Josh Daly, interim director at the center for community engagement, said Spark introduces the Jesuit values Loyola employs in a “very concrete way.” “Spark allows students to get to know New Orleans in a hands-on way through service and critical reflection on social issues,” Daly said. Mary Graci can be reached at megraci@loyno.edu
Students win high Ignatian award By BURKE BISCHOFF Staff Writer With this academic year coming to a close, three students will graduate Loyola as Ignatian Award winners and take their places amongst the most highly regarded students at the university. Biological science senior Carissa Marston, chemistry senior Justin Romaire and Mary DePartout, graduating with her masters in counseling, are the 2013 Ignatian Award winners. The award recognizes students for their contributions to both the university and to the community. Marston, winner of the Outstanding Senior Woman award, said that she hardly expected to be nominated, let alone win the award. “It was quite a shock to me to be selected out of a nominee pool of so many amazing and outstanding people,” Marston said.
Director of University Ministry Kurt Bindewald said that both the committee for the senior man and woman and the graduate council met on Friday, April 19. The council decided the winners for the 2013 Ignatian Awards for Outstanding Senior Woman, Outstanding Senior Man and Outstanding Graduate Student. Bindewald said the winners were informed the same day the council met. Bindewald said the committee looked at different criteria when deciding who would receive the award. The credentials include students who are academically well-rounded, are involved in the university and have made contributions to the community. “Ultimately what I asked the committee to think about was, of all of the applicants who we had been looking at, who are we most proud of to say is a graduate of Loyola,” Bindewald said.
“Someone who most represents who we want a graduate of Loyola to be.” Romaire, winner of the Outstanding Senior Man award, said his time as an Ignacio Volunteer in Belize in 2012 could have been one of the factors that put the award in his favor. Romaire said that he helped set up a baseball camp in Belize where children learn how to play baseball. “I think that my service, not limited to but can certainly be attributed to my time in Belize, was a big factor in me being selected for the award,” Romaire said. DePartout, winner of the Outstanding Graduating Senior award, felt she was qualified because of her involvement with an Ignatian wide student organization. DePartout is a founder of the organization Active Minds, which is dedicated to
raising awareness and educating college campuses and combatting misguided stigmas about mental illness. DePartout has also worked as a councilor at Family Service of Greater New Orleans, helping families in need. Bindewald said the awards will be given out during the Baccalaureate Mass on Friday, May 10. Marston considered her entire time at Loyola to be an intense period of growth. “Loyola has been one of the most influential factors in my personal growth,” Marston said. “I think in being a senior, it’s very easy to reflect on were I was freshman year and how I’ve progressed to become this very full person through the environment fostered at Loyola.” Burke Bischoff can be reached at bwbischo@loyno.edu